Video 2:13
Scullion suggests Defence future for Gove

Senator Nigel Scullion suggests Defence could play a role in saving the Territory town of Nhulunbuy.

Transcript

ALYSSA BETTS, PRESENTER: The Federal Small Business Minister Bruce Billson and Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion visited Gove this week. Jane Bardon spoke to Senator Scullion after their meetings with business leaders.

JANE BARDON, REPORTER: Nigel Scullion, welcome to 7.30. Has the federal government been missing in action in Gove?

NIGEL SCULLION, FEDERAL INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS MINISTER: Look you don't actually have to be here to be exploring some of the options for the future of Nhulunbuy, and certainly we haven't been missing in action. I've had meetings with people and individuals around Gove over that period of time. It's been a very difficult time for this community.

JANE BARDON: The federal government offered a $100-million dollar recovery package for the states affected by the Holden closure, for 5-thousand workers. Will there be anything in the order of that for Gove, with a thousand workers losing their positions?

NIGEL SCULLION: I think anyone who understands the circumstances here, there's no comparison - there's not like a city here, everybody and everything here is reliant on this, the underlying land tenure is Aboriginal land, it's, the circumstances can't be compared with anywhere else in Australia. In terms of what the federal government's doing, well we're' here to ensure that we listen carefully to what the community has to say about the sort of role that we need to play and what role we're playing into the future, and they've been very positive meetings.

JANE BARDON: If the federal government can't actually offer any help in terms of financial assistance to Gove, could there be assistance in terms of moving a government department here - like an immigration detention facility or a full department of government?

NIGEL SCULLION: If you move operations here they're going to be more expensive so that's pretty counter-intuitive. However we are strategically placed in terms of north Australia, obviously from a defence perspective this is a very strategic area so no doubt there could be some consideration about not only having a strategic move because you've got to remember all of those processes were definitely not welcome in this place before this time.

JANE BARDON: So is there actually a plan to move either Australian or US forces to Gove?

NIGEL SCULLION: I'm not prepared to talk about that. Obviously in the context of representing the interests of Nhulunbuy there are some discussions taking place but I don't think it's useful to talk in any more detail about that.